Bloating, discomfort, irregular digestion, food reactions — these symptoms are easy to dismiss but hard to ignore when they’re affecting your daily life. And they rarely exist in isolation. Digestive health is closely connected to energy, immunity, mood, and overall wellbeing.
At Garibaldi Health Clinic we investigate what’s actually driving your digestive symptoms, using comprehensive testing to identify sensitivities, deficiencies, and imbalances, and build a plan that addresses the root cause.
We offer comprehensive food sensitivity testing and environmental allergy testing — including both blood and scratch testing — to identify what your body is reacting to. Understanding your triggers is often the first step to meaningful relief.
Nutrition is the foundation of digestive health. We examine the relationship between your diet and your symptoms, identify deficiencies or excesses, and build a targeted nutrition plan around your health goals. Vitamins, minerals, and nutraceuticals may be recommended to support healing and restore balance.
Drawing on over 300 plant species, naturopathic botanical medicine has a long history of supporting digestive health, with potential benefits and limitations that depend on the product and condition.
Acupuncture has been used to treat digestive disorders for thousands of years. It can help regulate digestion, reduce inflammation, and address the stress and nervous system factors that often contribute to gut issues.
Beyond food sensitivity testing, we use stool testing and urinalysis to get a clearer picture of what’s happening in the gut, including signs of infection, imbalance, or inflammation that standard testing might miss.
Digestive symptoms are often driven by underlying hormonal, thyroid, or inflammatory causes, particularly in women navigating perimenopause, PCOS, Hashimoto’s, or mold illness. Dr. Melanie MacIver focuses on identifying and treating these root causes through comprehensive lab assessment.
Most patients arrive at our door with something unresolved. Sometimes it's been years, sometimes it's brand new. Whatever you're working with, we're here to help.
When you book with us, we'll talk through what's been going on, what you've tried, and what you're hoping for. From there, we'll build the right plan together — whether that's care I continue with you, or care coordinated with another practitioner on our team.
An IBS diagnosis often describes the symptoms without identifying the cause. Depending on your assessment, we may consider testing for food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gut inflammation, and microbiome imbalances that frequently drive “IBS” symptoms. We use the findings to discuss appropriate care and symptom management.
It depends on your situation. Some patients benefit from starting with dietary and lifestyle changes while we gather more information. Others have symptoms that clearly warrant testing upfront. We’ll talk through what makes sense for you rather than ordering tests by default.
Not necessarily. The goal isn’t endless restriction — it’s identifying the specific foods your body reacts to so you can stop guessing. Testing does not reliably identify every food-related symptom, and unnecessary restrictions should be avoided. Any dietary changes should have a clear purpose and review plan, rather than being a blanket elimination.
Yes. The gut is closely connected to hormonal health, immune function, mood, and energy. Digestive symptoms are often tied to thyroid issues, perimenopause, stress, or inflammation elsewhere in the body. That’s why we look at the full picture rather than treating the gut in isolation.
Naturopathic visits are covered by most extended health plans in BC. Lab testing varies — some panels are covered, others are out of pocket. We’ll explain the costs before any testing is ordered.
Let's look beyond the symptoms and build a plan around the cause.
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